Antenna package structure and antenna packaging method

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides an antenna package structure and an antenna packaging method. The package structure includes a rewiring layer, wherein the rewiring layer comprises a first dielectric layer and a first metal wiring layer in the first dielectric layer; metal connecting column, formed on the first metal wiring layer of the rewiring layer; a packaging layer, disposed on the rewiring layer, an antenna metal layer, formed on the packaging layer, an antenna circuit chip, bonded to the first metal layer of the rewiring layer, and electrically connected to the antenna metal layer through the metal connecting column; and a metal bump, formed on the first metal wiring layer of the rewiring layer, to achieve electrical lead-out of the rewiring layer.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/407,527, filed on May 9, 2019, entitled “AntennaPackage Structure and Antenna Packaging Method”, Chinese PatentApplication No. CN201810437557X, entitled “Antenna Package Structure andAntenna Packaging Method”, filed with SIPO on May 9, 2018, and ChinesePatent Application No. CN2018206853410, entitled “Antenna PackageStructure”, filed with SIPO on May 9, 2018, the contents of which areincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor packaging,and in particular, to an antenna package structure and an antennapackaging method.

BACKGROUND

With the advancement of science and technologies, various high-techelectronic products, including various electronic apparatuses such asnotebook computers, mobile phones, and tablet computers (PAD), aredeveloped to meet people's needs.

In addition to significant increases in functions and applicationsenabled by these high-tech products, a wireless communication functionis added to meet mobile device requirements. Therefore, people may usethese high-tech electronic products anywhere or anytime because of thewireless communication functions. Flexibility and convenience of thesehigh-tech electronic products have been significantly improved, peopleno longer need to call from limited areas, and people's lives areactually benefited because of application of these electronic products.

In general, existing antenna structures on IC circuits include dipoleantenna, monopole antenna, patch antenna, planar inverted-F antenna,meander line antenna, inverted-L antenna, loop antenna, spiral antenna,spring antenna, and the like. A known approach is directly manufacturingan antenna on a surface of a circuit board. In this approach, theantenna may occupy an additional area of the circuit board, which isrelatively undesirable. For various electronic apparatus, a largecircuit board results in a large electronic apparatus. However, a mainpurpose of designing and developing these electronic apparatus is toenable a user to conveniently carry the electronic apparatuses.Therefore, a problem to be solved is to reduce an area of a circuitboard having an antenna structure with improved integration performance.

Based on the foregoing descriptions, it is necessary to provide anantenna package structure and an antenna packaging method which havehigh integration level.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides an antenna package structure. Thepackage structure comprises: a rewiring layer, a rewiring layer, whereinthe rewiring layer comprises a first dielectric layer and a first metalwiring layer in the first dielectric layer; a metal connecting column,formed on the first metal wiring layer of the rewiring layer; apackaging layer, disposed on the rewiring layer, an antenna metal layer,formed on the packaging layer, wherein the metal connecting columnconnects the first metal wiring layer at one end to the antenna metallayer at the other end; an antenna circuit chip, bonded to the firstmetal layer of the rewiring layer, and electrically connected to theantenna metal layer through the metal connecting column; and a metalbump, formed on the first metal wiring layer of the rewiring layer, toachieve electrical lead-out of the rewiring layer.

Preferably, a second dielectric layer is formed on a surface of thepackaging layer, wherein the metal connecting column has a protrudingportion protruding from the packaging layer and exposing from the seconddielectric layer, and wherein the antenna metal layer is formed on anupper surface of the second dielectric layer.

Preferably, the second dielectric layer has a planar top surface, whichis in a same plane with the top surface of the metal connecting column.

Preferably, the material of the packaging layer comprises one ofpolyimide (PI), silica gel, and epoxy resin.

Preferably, the rewiring layer comprises the rewiring layer comprises afirst dielectric layer, a first metal wiring layer.

Further, the material of the first dielectric layer and the seconddielectric layer comprises one or a combination of epoxy resin, silicagel, PI, PBO, BCB, silica, phosphosilicate glass, andfluorine-containing glass, and the material of the metal wiring layercomprises one or a combination of copper, aluminum, nickel, gold,silver, and titanium.

Preferably, the material of the metal connecting column comprises one ofAu, Ag, Cu, and Al.

Preferably, the metal bump comprises one of a tin solder, a silversolder, and a gold-tin alloy solder.

The present disclosure further provides an antenna packaging method. Thepackaging method comprises steps of: 1) providing a support substrate,and forming a separation layer on the support substrate; 2) forming arewiring layer on the separation layer, wherein the rewiring layer has afirst surface connected to the separation layer and a second surfaceopposite to the first surface, wherein the rewiring layer comprises afirst metal wiring layer and a first dielectric layer; 3) forming ametal connecting column on the first metal wiring layer of the rewiringlayer; 4) disposing a packaging layer on the rewiring layer, andthinning the packaging layer, so that a top surface of the metalconnecting column is exposed from the packaging layer; 5) forming anantenna metal layer on the packaging layer, wherein the antenna metallayer is connected to the metal connecting column; 6) stripping off theseparation layer to remove the support substrate, and to expose thefirst surface of the rewiring layer; 7) providing an antenna circuitchip, and bonding the antenna circuit chip to the first metal wiringlayer of the rewiring layer, so that the antenna circuit chip iselectrically connected to the antenna metal layer from the first metalwiring layer and the metal connecting column; and 8) forming a metalbump on the first metal wiring layer of the rewiring layer, to formelectrical lead-out of the rewiring layer.

Preferably, in the step 4), the packaging layer is thinned, so that themetal connecting column has a protruding portion protruding from thepackaging layer, and a dielectric layer is formed on a surface of thepackaging layer, where the top surface of the metal connecting column isexposed from the dielectric layer; and in the step 5), the antenna metallayer is formed on a surface of the dielectric layer.

Preferably, the second dielectric layer is formed on the surface of thepackaging layer, and a planarization treatment is performed over thesecond dielectric layer, to expose the top surface of the metalconnecting column.

Preferably, the support substrate comprises one of a glass substrate, ametal substrate, a semiconductor substrate, a polymer substrate, and aceramic substrate, the separation layer comprises one of an adhesivetape and a polymer layer, and the polymer layer is coated on a surfaceof the support substrate by using a spin-coating process, and then iscured by using an ultra-violet curing process or a thermos-curingprocess.

Preferably, the step 2) of making the rewiring layer comprises steps of:2-1) forming the first dielectric layer on a surface of the separationlayer by using a chemical vapor deposition process or a physical vapordeposition process, and etching the first dielectric layer to pattern afirst dielectric layer; 2-2) forming the first metal wiring layer on asurface of the first dielectric layer by using a chemical vapordeposition process, an evaporation process, a sputtering process, anelectroplating process, or an electroless plating process, and etchingthe metal layer to form a patterned metal wiring layer; and 2-3) formingthe first dielectric layer on a surface of the first metal wiring layerby using a chemical vapor deposition process or a physical vapordeposition process, and etching the first dielectric layer to patternthe first dielectric layer, wherein the metal connecting column passesthrough the first dielectric layer and connects to the first metalwiring layer.

Further, the material of the first dielectric layer and the seconddielectric layer comprises one or a combination of epoxy resin, silicagel, PI, PBO, BCB, silica, phosphosilicate glass, andfluorine-containing glass, and the material of the first metal wiringlayer comprises one or a combination of copper, aluminum, nickel, gold,silver, and titanium.

Preferably, in the step 3), the metal connecting column is disposed byusing a wire bonding process, where the wire bonding process comprisesone of a thermal compression wire bonding process, an ultrasonic wirebonding process, and a thermal compression ultrasonic wire bondingprocess, and the material of the metal connecting column comprises oneof Au, Ag, Cu, and Al.

Preferably, in the step 4), a method for insulating the metal connectingcolumn by using the packaging layer comprises one of compressionmolding, transfer molding, liquid seal molding, vacuum lamination, andspin-coating, and the material of the packaging layer comprises one ofPI, silica gel, and epoxy resin.

Preferably, in the step 6), a method for stripping off the theseparation layer and removing the support substrate comprises one ofmechanical stripping and chemical stripping.

Preferably, the metal bump comprises one of a tin solder, a silversolder, and a gold-tin alloy solder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-9 are structural schematic views in each major step duringpackaging process of an antenna according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a structural schematic view of the completed antenna packagestructure according to the present disclosure

FIG. 11 is a structural schematic view of another antenna packagestructure according to the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTIONS OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   101 Support substrate    -   102 Separation layer    -   103 Antenna circuit chip    -   105 Rewiring layer    -   106 Metal connecting column    -   107 Packaging layer    -   108 Antenna metal layer    -   109 Metal bump    -   110 Third Dielectric layer    -   1061 protruding portion    -   1051 First dielectric layer    -   1052 Second dielectric layer    -   1053 First metal wiring layer

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Implementations of the present disclosure are described below by usingparticular and specific examples, and a person skilled in the art caneasily understand other advantages and efficacy of the presentdisclosure from content disclosed in the specification. The presentdisclosure can further be implemented or applied by using otherdifferent specific implementations, details in the specification canalso be based on different opinions and applications, and variousmodifications and changes can be made without departing the spirit ofthe present disclosure.

It should be noted that, figures provided in embodiments describe thebasic idea of the present disclosure only in a schematic manner; onlycomponents related to the present disclosure are shown in the figuresinstead of drawing components based on the quantity, the shape, and thesize of the components required during actual implementation; and theshape, the quantity, and the ratio of each component during actualimplementation can be changed randomly, and the layout shape of thecomponents may be more complex.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 10, an antenna packaging method is providedstep by step. The packaging method comprises the following steps.

As shown in FIG. 1, step 1): providing a support substrate 101, andforming a separation layer 102 on the support substrate 101.

In an example, the support substrate 101 comprises one of a glasssubstrate, a metal substrate, a semiconductor substrate, a polymersubstrate, and a ceramic substrate. In this embodiment, the supportsubstrate 101 is a glass substrate. The glass substrate is low cost, itis easy to form the separation layer 102 on a surface of the glasssubstrate, and a difficulty of a subsequent stripping process isreduced.

In an example, the separation layer 102 comprises one of an adhesivetape and a polymer layer. The polymer layer is coated on a surface ofthe support substrate 101 by using a spin-coating process, and then iscured by an ultra-violet curing process or a thermo-curing process.

In this embodiment, the separation layer 102 is thermos-curing adhesive.The thermos-curing adhesive is formed on the support substrate 101 byusing the spin-coating process, and then is cured by using thethermos-curing process. The thermos-curing adhesive has stableperformance, a relatively smooth surface, which facilitates making of asubsequent rewiring layer. In addition, in a subsequent strippingprocess, a stripping difficulty is relatively low.

As shown in FIG. 2, step 2): forming a rewiring layer 105 on theseparation layer 102, wherein the rewiring layer 105 comprises a firstsurface connected to the separation layer and a second surface oppositeto the first surface.

The step 2) of forming the rewiring layer 105 comprises the followingsteps.

Step 2-1), Forming a first dielectric layer 1051 on a surface of theseparation layer 102 by using a chemical vapor deposition process or aphysical vapor deposition process, and etching the dielectric layer topattern the first dielectric layer. The material of the first dielectriclayer 1051 comprises one or a combination of epoxy resin, silica gel,Polyimide (PI), Polybenzoxazole (PBO), Benzocyclobutene (BCB), silica,phosphosilicate glass, and fluorine-containing glass.

Preferably, the material of the first dielectric layer 1051 is PI, tofurther reduce a process difficulty and process costs.

Step 2-2), Forming a first metal layer 1051 on a surface of thepatterned first dielectric layer by using a chemical vapor depositionprocess, an evaporation process, a sputtering process, an electroplatingprocess, or an electroless plating process, and etching the first metalwiring layer 1053 to pattern the first metal wiring layer 1053. Thematerial of the first metal wiring layer 1053 comprises one or acombination of copper, aluminum, nickel, gold, silver, and titanium. Thecombined structure after step 2 is the rewiring layer 105.

Step 3), Forming a second dielectric layer 1052 on a surface of thepatterned first metal layer 1053 by using a chemical vapor depositionprocess or a physical vapor deposition process, and etching the seconddielectric layer to pattern the second dielectric layer 1052. Thematerial of the second dielectric layer 1052 comprises one or acombination of epoxy resin, silica gel, PI, PBO, BCB, silica,phosphosilicate glass, and fluorine-containing glass.

Preferably, the material of the second dielectric layer 1052 is PI, tofurther reduce a process difficulty and process costs.

As shown in FIG. 3, step 3): forming a metal connecting column 106 toconnect electrically to the first metal wiring layer 1053 in therewiring layer 105.

The metal connecting column 106 is made by a wire bonding process. Thewire bonding process comprises one of a thermal compression wire bondingprocess, an ultrasonic wire bonding process, and a thermal compressionultrasonic wire bonding process. The material of the metal connectingcolumn 106 comprises one of Au, Ag, Cu, and Al. For example, the metalconnecting column 106 may be Al, and welding can be completed at arelatively low temperature by using the ultrasonic wire bonding process,thereby greatly lowering a process temperature. For another example, themetal connecting column 106 may be Au to obtain excellent electricalconductivity performance.

As shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 6, step 4): wrapping the metal connectingcolumn 106 by using a packaging layer 107, then thinning the packaginglayer 107, such that a top surface of the metal connecting column 106 isexposed from the packaging layer 107.

In an example, packaging the antenna structure by using the packaginglayer 107 comprises one of compression molding, transfer molding, liquidseal molding, vacuum lamination, and spin-coating. The material of thepackaging layer 107 comprises one of PI, silica gel, and epoxy resin.

In this embodiment, the packaging layer 107 is thinned, such that themetal connecting column 106 has a protruding portion 1061 protrudingfrom the packaging layer, as shown in FIG. 5. A third dielectric layer110 is formed on a surface of the packaging layer 107. The top surfaceof the metal connecting column 106 is exposed from the third dielectriclayer 110, as shown in FIG. 6. Specifically, first, the third dielectriclayer 110 covering the metal connecting column 106 is formed on thesurface of the packaging layer 107, and then planarization treatment isperformed to the third dielectric layer 110, to cause the top surface ofthe metal connecting column 106 is exposed from the third dielectriclayer 110. An upper surface of the third dielectric layer 110 and thetop surface of the metal connecting column 106 are in a same plane. Thematerial of the third dielectric layer 110 may be an organic dielectriclayer, for example, PI, or may be an inorganic dielectric layer, forexample, silica. The third dielectric layer 110 having a planar surfacecan effectively improve quality of a subsequent antenna metal layer 108,and improve antenna efficiency and stability. Certainly, according to anactual requirement, the third dielectric layer 110 may be omitted, andthe subsequent antenna metal layer 108 is directly manufactured on thesurface of the packaging layer 107, as shown in FIG. 11.

As shown in FIG. 7, step 5): forming the antenna metal layer 108 on asurface of the third dielectric layer 110, wherein the antenna metallayer 108 is connected to the metal connecting column 106.

As shown in FIG. 8, step 6): stripping off the separation layer 102 andremoving the support substrate 101, to expose the first surface of therewiring layer 105.

In an example, the separation layer 102 and the support substrate 101may be separated according to an attribute of the separation layer 102by using a method such as mechanical stripping, laser stripping, orchemical stripping (such as wet etching).

As shown in FIG. 9, step 7): providing an antenna circuit chip 103, andbonding the antenna circuit chip 103 to the first metal wiring layer inthe rewiring layer 105, so that the antenna circuit chip 103 iselectrically connected to the antenna metal layer 108 by using therewiring layer 105 and the metal connecting column 106. For example, theantenna circuit chip 103 may be bonded to the first surface of therewiring layer 105 by using a welding process, so that the antennacircuit chip 103 is electrically connected to the rewiring layer 105.

As shown in FIG. 10, step 8): forming a metal bump 109 on the firstmetal wiring layer of the rewiring layer 105, to achieve electricallead-out of the rewiring layer 105.

As shown in FIG. 10, this embodiment further provides an antenna packagestructure, comprising an antenna circuit chip 103, a rewiring layer 105,a metal connecting column 106, a packaging layer 107, an antenna metallayer 108, and a metal bump 109.

As shown in FIG. 10, the rewiring layer 105 comprises a first surfaceand a second surface opposite to the first surface.

In an example, the rewiring layer 105 comprises a first patterneddielectric layer, a patterned metal wiring layer, and a second patterneddielectric layer, the metal connecting column 106 passes through thesecond patterned dielectric layer and is connected to the patternedmetal wiring layer. The material of the first dielectric layer and thesecond dielectric layer comprises one or a combination of epoxy resin,silica gel, PI, PBO, BCB, silica, phosphosilicate glass, andfluorine-containing glass, and the material of the metal wiring layercomprises one or a combination of copper, aluminum, nickel, gold,silver, and titanium.

As shown in FIG. 10, the metal connecting column 106 is formed on thesecond surface of the rewiring layer 105.

As shown in FIG. 10, the packaging layer 107 encloses the antennastructure and the metal connecting column 106, and a top surface of themetal connecting column 106 is exposed from the packaging layer 107.

The material of the packaging layer 107 comprises one of PI, silica gel,and epoxy resin.

As shown in FIG. 10, a third dielectric layer 110 is further formed on asurface of the packaging layer 107. The metal connecting column 106 hasa protruding portion 1061 protruding from the packaging layer 107, andthe top surface of the metal connecting column 106 is exposed from thethird dielectric layer 110. The antenna metal layer 108 is formed on anupper surface of the third dielectric layer 110, and the antenna metallayer 108 is connected to the metal connecting column 106. The secondthird dielectric layer 110 has a planar upper surface, which is in asame plane with the top surface of the metal connecting column 106. Thethird dielectric layer 110 having a planar surface can effectivelyimprove quality of the subsequent antenna metal layer 108, and improveantenna efficiency and stability. The antenna metal layer 108 is formedon the surface of the packaging layer 107.

Certainly, according to an actual requirement, the third dielectriclayer 110 may be omitted, and the subsequent antenna metal layer 108 isdirectly manufactured on the surface of the packaging layer 107, asshown in FIG. 11.

The antenna circuit chip 103 is bonded to the first surface of therewiring layer 105, and electrically connected to the antenna metallayer 108 by using the rewiring layer 105 and the metal connectingcolumn 106.

The metal bump 109 is formed on the first surface of the rewiring layer105, to achieve electrical lead-out of the rewiring layer 105.

In an example, the metal bump 109 comprises one of a tin solder, asilver solder, and a gold-tin alloy solder.

As described above, the antenna package structure and the antennapackaging method according to the present disclosure have the followingbeneficial effects:

Due to the interconnecting rewiring layers, the antenna packagestructure can be integrated, thereby greatly improving antennaefficiency and performance, and achieving high integration and highpackaging efficiency.

An antenna structure is packaged by using a fan-out packaging method inthe present disclosure, which effectively reduces a packaging volume, sothat the antenna package structure achieves high integration and betterpackaging performance, and has a wide application prospect in thesemiconductor packaging field.

Therefore, the present disclosure effectively overcomes variousdisadvantages in the prior art and has high industrial utilizationvalue.

The foregoing embodiments are merely intended to exemplarily describethe principles and efficacy of the present disclosure and are notintended to limit the present disclosure. A person skilled in the artcan make modifications or changes to the foregoing embodiments withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.Therefore, any equivalent modifications or changes completed by a personof common knowledge in the art without departing from the spirit andtechnical thoughts disclosed in the present disclosure shall still fallwithin the scope of the claims of the present disclosure.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An antenna package structure, comprising: arewiring layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein therewiring layer comprises a first dielectric layer and a first metalwiring layer in the first dielectric layer; a metal connecting column,formed on the first metal wiring layer of the rewiring layer; apackaging layer, disposed on the rewiring layer, wherein the metalconnecting column has a top portion protruding from a top surface of thepackaging layer; an antenna metal layer, formed on the packaging layer,wherein the metal connecting column connects to the first metal wiringlayer in the first dielectric layer of the rewiring layer at one end andto the antenna metal layer the top portion protruding from the topsurface of the packaging layer; an antenna circuit chip having a firstsurface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein thefirst surface of the antenna circuit chip is bonded to the surface ofthe rewiring layer, and electrically connected to the antenna metallayer through the metal connecting column; and a metal bump, formed onthe first metal wiring layer of the rewiring layer, to achieveelectrical lead-out of the rewiring layer, wherein the second surface ofthe antenna circuit chip and the metal bump are both exposed outside ofthe rewiring layer.
 2. The antenna package structure according to claim1, wherein a second dielectric layer is formed on a surface of thepackaging layer, wherein a top surface of said top portion of the metalconnecting column exposes from the second dielectric layer, and whereinthe antenna metal layer is formed on an upper surface of the seconddielectric layer.
 3. The antenna package structure according to claim 2,wherein the second dielectric layer has a planar top surface, which isin a same plane with the top surface of the protruding top portion ofthe metal connecting column.
 4. The antenna package structure accordingto claim 1, wherein the material of the packaging layer comprises one ofpolyimide (PI), silica gel, and epoxy resin.
 5. The antenna packagestructure according to claim 1, wherein the first dielectric layer andthe first metal wiring layer are disposed between the first surface andthe second surface of the rewiring layer.
 6. The antenna packagestructure according to claim 2, wherein the material of the firstdielectric layer and the second dielectric layer comprises one or acombination of epoxy resin, silica gel, PI, PBO, BCB, silica,phosphosilicate glass, and fluorine-containing glass, and the materialof the first metal wiring layer comprises one or a combination ofcopper, aluminum, nickel, gold, silver, and titanium.
 7. The antennapackage structure according to claim 1, wherein the material of themetal connecting column comprises one of Au, Ag, Cu, and Al.
 8. Theantenna package structure according to claim 1, wherein the metal bumpcomprises one of a tin solder, a silver solder, and a gold-tin alloysolder.